Page 3339 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 24 November 1992
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MR DE DOMENICO: That is right. Today's strike by the ACTION bus drivers is a case in point, Mr Deputy Speaker. They are holding up services to the community so that they can work out what savings they think they can afford in ACTION. People could be excused for believing Minister Connolly when he said that there could be savings of up to $10m over three years in ACTION. After all, he is the Minister responsible for running public transport in Canberra, but is he running it? It does not seem so, Mr Deputy Speaker, because the Transport Workers Union will let him know - after a few convenient stop-work meetings and perhaps after a few discussions by members who are on sick leave on the golf course - what cuts will be made, when and how.
Mr Connolly is a sensible and intelligent man. He wants to reduce the cost of ACTION; but, unfortunately, his party has other things in mind. What has happened to Mr Connolly from time to time is well documented. Every time he tries to do something about it he is bucketed by his members - mainly the Transport Workers Union, but also members of his own party, for heaven's sake, who sit across the other side of this table. He is bucketed because he happens to be in the wrong faction. Do not let Mr Connolly come into this place and talk about anything to do with industrial relations as far as his portfolio is concerned.
This brings me to the proposal to take some time off on 30 November in sympathy with Victorian union members. What Mr Halfpenny - I am sure people opposite know who Mr Halfpenny is - thinks about the situation in Victoria is very interesting. The Melbourne Sun this morning states:
Trades Hall Council secretary John Halfpenny has admitted savings can be made to Victoria's education budget -
and here is the real killer -
but he doesn't know how.
John Cain, not Mr Trevor Kaine, is also quoted in this morning's Melbourne Sun as saying that his Government should have won increased productivity from teachers. The Sun report reads:
"We should have obtained from them improved work practices and not agreed to smaller classes and fewer teaching-contract hours".
Mr Cain's senior adviser from 1982 to 1985, Mr Mike Richards, told the Sunday newspaper the teaching unions and former premier Joan Kirner "plundered the State Budget for education for years".
That is what Mr Cain's minder said. Mr Sheehan, until recently the Treasurer, then the shadow Minister for something, and the shadow Minister for something else after today - - -
Mr Lamont: Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise a point of order.
Ms Follett: Let him go.
Mr Lamont: Do you want to let him go?
Government members: Yes.
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